Salamanca

The destination for my most recent long weekend (called a puente in Spanish) was Salamanca. Through the rain, sleet, and snow I took the bus 7 hours North of Sevilla to the very windy region of Castile y León. 

Salamanca is quite small; you can walk from one end to the other and see everything in about 2 hours, allowing us to take our time and just relax. The streets are very quite, and all the building are constructed out of beautiful Villamayor Stone (a golden colored sandstone mined right outside Salamanca.)

Highlights in Salamanca include the University of Salamanca, which is the oldest university in Spain, and the third oldest university in Europe, La Plaza Mayor, Casa de Las Canchas, and the Puente Romano. Salamanca, being a University town, is also known for having a vibrant nightlife, which we took full advantage of.

Milka chocolate hat to prepare for the wind

Plaza Mayor by night

Plaza Mayor by day

looking up in the library courtyard

organs inside the cathedral

Can you spot the astronaut?

there is is!

Delicious patas bravas (tasted like mexy ranch sauce)

Puente Romano (Roman Bridge)

Casa de Las Canchas (building with seashells)

The crew

With our local guides, Pablo who grew up in Salamanca, and Louisa who studied abroad there, we saw everything, and ate only the best, including Mexican food, frozen yogurt and mojitos

We went to a really unique restaurant named Meson Cervantes, recommended by Rick Steves of course. You have to walk up a steep set of wooden stairs until you reach the bar and dining room, which then overlooks all of Plaza Mayor. The walls and ceilings were adorned with rusted camping lanterns, old payphones, musical instruments, and random memorabilia. We ate pinchos (tapas of Northern Spain,) and drank cervezas.

We also drank at a cool Irish Pub, called The Irish Rover while we watched the Madrid Vs. Barcelona futbol game to pass the time on Saturday afternoon.

We ended our weekend with a day trip 50 minutes towards the border of Portugal to Zamora. Zamora is known for its Romanesque architecture, and the Castle of Zamora. 

Trees were all connected somehow

huge lampshade?

Castle of Zamora